Canon or Nikon?

I need to purchase a Nikon D3000 or a Canon XS. I can not afford a better camera at the moment. I am trying to start an on-line business and will be taking pictures of items to post on my site. I will be using a light box 36"X36". All items ill fit inside the box. Does the Nikon or Canon take better pictures with the standard 'kit' lens that comes with them??? Wally World has them both for $499.

If the business takes off, I can afford a better camera and lens at a later date, but need something to start with.

Personally, I don't think you could go wrong with either camera, and this coming from someone who has shot both Canon & Nikon.

Either will be fine so start thinking about what system you will want to go with in the future.
Whichever you go with, I would do some serious tripod research to get the best one you can afford. You'll need it for your item shots.

I'm going to lean toward Nikon, since I'm a Nikon user. If I were a Canon user, I'd lean towards Canon. The point is, either one is fine, especially for your use. It's buying into a system for later expansion that you need to consider. Also, I'm sure others will say it, but Sony, Pentax, Olympus, etc. make good DSLRs as well.

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Originally Posted by Frog

Either will be fine so start thinking about what system you will want to go with in the future.
Whichever you go with, I would do some serious tripod research to get the best one you can afford. You'll need it for your item shots.

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Thanks, frog. I have a Ambico tripod (new) I got at a garage sale for $30 ($150 retail, I think). Having the lens saved for future use I guess boils down to Nikkor or canon lenses. I seem to like the menu of the Canon better, but it is tough to tell. I kept tripping the "Don't steal me" sensor while I was at Wally World. So did the associate!

Hope you are happy with whichever you choose.
Like Joe, I'm a Nikon guy so lean towards it but probably because I'm familiar with it.

What are the items you will be shooting? I'm more concerned about what lens you get than I am with camera body. Don't automatically choose one of the kit lenses.

You mean the Nikon D3000 or the Canon XSi? It's pretty close:

- The Nikon 18-55 kit lenses have always been good (and they focus close as well). The Canon 18-55 kit lens only got good with the latest version with IS. Make sure your package has the right one
- The Canon is reissue of an older model (400D?) so it has a last-generation image processor which means its high ISO performance is probably not as good as the D3000.
- The D3000 is a latest-geration model but the body is a bit simplified. It can't autofocus with some older lenses. The XSi is pitched a little higher
- Nikon has a wider range of lenses for this type of DSLR. Usually Canon come out with an equivalent 2 years after Nikon

Go into a shop and try them out. You may find you prefer one over the other.

"Nikon has a wider range of lenses for this type of DSLR. Usually Canon come out with an equivalent 2 years after Nikon"

By 'this type', you mean APS, or - the DX and EF-S series differences?

But Canon's more common lens type is EF, which has a wider sweet spot to boot, than APS designed lens.

I guess what I'm trying to say here is, that its not really a distinction. I can't imagine anybody could actually worry about the 'range' of lens Canon and Nikon offer.

Anyway, I'd vote for the one with live-view. In that studio environment (lightbox, still life), live view is a precious and valuable feature. But I think neither the XSi or the D3000 have live view. The Sony A330 does, and the Nikon D5000, and hte Rebel T1i and T2i. The Sony is the same price as the canon and nikons you mentioned (~$500) and I believe wall mart sells them too.

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Originally Posted by Frog

Hope you are happy with whichever you choose.
Like Joe, I'm a Nikon guy so lean towards it but probably because I'm familiar with it.

What are the items you will be shooting? I'm more concerned about what lens you get than I am with camera body. Don't automatically choose one of the kit lenses.

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Black powder shooting bags, powder horns, moccasins, etc. I realize the kit lens is not what I will remain with, but my budget is severly limited at the moment.

I plan on a 85 or 110 mm macro lens as soon as funds are available. Eventually, a better camera body.

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Originally Posted by Anbesol

"Nikon has a wider range of lenses for this type of DSLR. Usually Canon come out with an equivalent 2 years after Nikon"

By 'this type', you mean APS, or - the DX and EF-S series differences?

But Canon's more common lens type is EF, which has a wider sweet spot to boot, than APS designed lens.

I guess what I'm trying to say here is, that its not really a distinction. I can't imagine anybody could actually worry about the 'range' of lens Canon and Nikon offer.

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Let me start out by agreeing that this is not a very strong reason to go Nikon rather than Canon, who do produce the lenses eventually (perhaps a 35mm f1.8 EF-S next?)

Yes I do mean DX and EF-S lenses:

- smaller and cheaper than FX/EF lenses
- focal length is perfectly adapted to the APS-C sensor. What full-frame EF lens would you put on an APS-C DSLR as a walkabout lens?
- more daring designs than FX/EF. Where is the 18-200 or the 15-85/16-85 for full frame?

I haven't noticed that my DX lenses have a smaller sweet spot than my full-frame lenses on APS-C. Most of the time they have even performance across the field.

I'm talking about the optical sweet spot - as in, the borders of the elements are not used on an APS image circle, allowing for a sharper border to border range by using only the center-most of the elements.

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focal length is perfectly adapted to the APS-C sensor. What full-frame EF lens would you put on an APS-C DSLR as a walkabout lens?

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24-105 f/4 L, 50mm f/1.8. Depending on the required range.

Canon also has a wider range of macro's than Nikon does, which sounds like what the OP wants. They have a 60mm with a 3:1 mag ratio, to my recollection Nikon doesn't have an equivalent.

Though really, I'm sure we both know that he could get either one and be plenty satisfied, and either will do the job he needs to get done, and offer many times more than he needs in upgradability.

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Originally Posted by Anbesol

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24-105 f/4 L, 50mm f/1.8. Depending on the required range.

Canon also has a wider range of macro's than Nikon does, which sounds like what the OP wants. They have a 60mm with a 3:1 mag ratio, to my recollection Nikon doesn't have an equivalent.

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That's a 1:1 ratio for the Canon 60mm EF-S which is probably the best lens you can put on your APS-C Canon today. But Nikon introduced the 60mm AF-S more than a year before, it also does 1:1 and it's even a "full frame" lens.

See here: http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/60mm-afs.htm

We're never going to agree on the focal length thing. The 24-105L and 50mm f1.8 are just my idea of what you need in terms of view for a walk-around lens - when fitted on a full-frame camera. With an APS-C they are too long for my liking.

If I had not already committed myself to Canon through lenses and flashes, etc, I think I would probably go with Nikon. At least right now they seem to be ahead on innovations I care about. Their flash units strike me as more functional, and they are already putting articulating LCDs on their DLSRs, which to me is a super big deal. I would kill to have one of those on my t2i. It just makes the whole shooting process so much more pleasant.

I think it's been said that everyone here will probably advocate for the system they use...except for daq...and maybe that should tell you something. I'd go Nikon.

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Originally Posted by thecounsel

I think it's been said that everyone here will probably advocate for the system they use...except for daq...and maybe that should tell you something. I'd go Nikon.

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Actually if you rule out those not biased for or against the system they use, only Anbesol's advice would remain. - TF

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Originally Posted by Anbesol

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Anyway, I'd vote for the one with live-view. In that studio environment (lightbox, still life), live view is a precious and valuable feature. But I think neither the XSi or the D3000 have live view. The Sony A330 does, and the Nikon D5000, and hte Rebel T1i and T2i. The Sony is the same price as the canon and nikons you mentioned (~$500) and I believe wall mart sells them too.

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It looks like I may go with a Nikon D90, even though I do can not afford it. OUCH! Hoping to save some bucks. I do need the live view, as you said. Maybe a D5000, but a D90 is not that much more and a lot more camera.

I am prejudiced against Sony because they require their on card. This may not mean much to some, but I have a Sony DVD recorder and can't use all the functions because I do not own a Sony TV. I am sure they are good quality though.

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Originally Posted by flintlock62

It looks like I may go with a Nikon D90, even though I do can not afford it. OUCH! Hoping to save some bucks. I do need the live view, as you said. Maybe a D5000, but a D90 is not that much more and a lot more camera.

I am prejudiced against Sony because they require their on card. This may not mean much to some, but I have a Sony DVD recorder and can't use all the functions because I do not own a Sony TV. I am sure they are good quality though.

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"I am prejudiced against Sony because they require their on card." Is that requires their own card, i.e. Memory Stick? None of the Sony DSLRs require a Memory Stick. - TF

Excuse me franglais, what I meant was the 65mm macro, which is an EF lens and a 3:1 magnification.

Flint - I definitely agree about the D5000-D90 difference. I think the D90 will offer a more intuitive studio interface for you.

The only uniquely proprietary feature within the Sony Alpha system is a hot shoe mount, which is universalized with a mount adapter for ~ $20. The benefit of their unique wireless flash system easily makes up for this 'proprietary'. All of them now also do SD plus memory stick, and have never been exclusively memory stick.

I may have missed a correction in the thread, but the statement made by Anbesol "But I think neither the XSi or the D3000 have live view" isn't entirely accurate. The XSi does have Live View. However the OP mentioned an XS in his opening comments, so this may be irrelevant.

whoops, good catch, I actually meant XS as the OP brought that one up.